isWonder where the Top 10 longest rivers in India begin and end? Here’s a journey of discovery to see!
Discover the Top 10 longest rivers in India, from their source to their beautifully wide estuaries. India is known as the land of rivers, with many rivers flowing through the country. India is a country of rivers and these powerful water bodies play a major role in the economic development of the country.
Rivers in India are divided into two types: Himalayan Rivers (rivers that originate in the Himalayas) and Peninsular Rivers (rivers that originate in the peninsula). Rivers in the Himalayas are perennial, while rivers in the peninsula are rain-fed. This article discusses the top 10 longest rivers in India.
Ganga, the Top 10 longest rivers in India
The Ganges River flows through northern India and is sacred to Hindus and is one of the Top 10 longest rivers in India. In India, he has over 400 million people living in the headwaters of a river known as the Ganges Basin.
A watershed is an area through which rivers such as the Ganges and its tributaries flow. This means that surface water and stormwater from the basin flow into the surrounding rivers. It comes in number one in the Top 10 longest rivers in India
The Ganges rises over the Himalayas at Gomukh, the terminus of the Gangotri Glacier. When the ice of this glacier melts, the clear waters of the Bhagirathi River form. The Bhagirathi River descends the Himalayas and joins the Alaknanda River to officially form the Ganges River.
The Ganges basin is sometimes considered part of a larger river basin consisting of the nearby Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. Known as the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) basin, it is one of the largest river systems in the world.
“Snowmelt from the Himalayas, water from tributaries and rainfall feeds the sacred rivers. The Ganges flows south and east from the Himalayas, forming valleys as it exits the mountains. It meanders through northern India and eventually empties into the Bay of Bengal”.
Many tributaries of the Ganges originate from neighbouring countries Nepal, Bangladesh and China (an autonomous region called Tibet).
Yamuna, the Top 10 longest rivers in India
It originates from the Yamunotri Glacier at Bandarpoonch Peak in Uttarakhand, Uttarakhand. It is one of the longest tributaries of the Ganges and does not flow directly into the sea.
The Yamuna River is one of the longest rivers in India and flows through the states of Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The main tributaries of the Yamuna River are Hindon, Sharda, Gili, Hanuman Ganga, Sasur, Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Sindh, Rishiganga and Tonzu.
Indus, the Top 10 longest rivers in India
According to history, the name India comes from the name of the river Indus. The river originates in Lake Mansarovar and flows through Ladakh, Baltistan and Gilgit and is one of the Top 10 longest rivers in India. This river then finally reaches the Pakistani border.
- The river is also known for being the source of one of the oldest and most prosperous civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization. The total length of the Indus is 3,180 km, but it travels only 1,114 km within India. Leh and Skardu are some of the major cities on the banks of the Indus River.
Mahanadi, the Top 10 longest rivers in India
The river originates in the Raipur district of Chhattisgarh and is known for its devastating floods that are well documented in history. For this reason, the river is also called “Not Orissa”.
After the construction of the Hirakud Dam, the situation changed over time and is now maintained by the waterway system. The main tributaries of this river are the Seonato, Mando, Ong, Jonku, Teren and Hasdeo Rivers.
The Mahanadi River is a perennial river that flows through central and eastern India. It originates in the Damthali district of Chhattisgarh, flows to Kutthak in Orissa and finally flows into the Bay of Bengal.
It is a very important river for irrigation, agriculture and transportation for the people of Chhattisgarh and Orissa. The Mahanadi River is one of the Indian subcontinent’s rivers with active mud deposition and can be considered one of the Top 10 longest rivers in India.
Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra originates not only from the Indus River but also from the Mansarovar region. The river is known to originate from the Ansi Glacier near Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, China.
- This is considered the only Okawa in India. In China, the Brahmaputra River is called the Yarlung Tsangpo River and flows through Arunachal Pradesh into India. The total length of rivers in India is 916 km, the rest is in China.
- The Brahmaputra River is one of the largest rivers in the world and one of the largest in Asia. It is also one of the Top 10 longest rivers in India. It is a river that crosses the border. The Brahmaputra is considered a male river whereas most rivers in India are female rivers. The length of the river is about 2900 km.
The Brahmaputra River is a braided river that originates in southwestern Tibet and is called the Yarlung Tsangpo River. The river is considered sacred to Hindus as many myths are associated with it.
Krishna River
The Krishna River is India’s fourth longest river and the most important river for irrigation in Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. With a total length of 1290 km, the river rises from Mahabaleshwar and flows into the Bay of Bengal.
The tributaries of this river are Panchiganga, Bhima, Gataprava, Tungabhadra and Dudaganga. It flows along the banks of the Sangri and Vijayawada rivers.
The Krishna River is one of the longest rivers in India with a length of about 1300 km. Its origin is near Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.
“Thanks to the Krishna River, most of the Krishna basin is agricultural. It supplies irrigation water to states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana”.
Originating in Maharashtra, the Krishna River flows through Karnataka into Telangana and finally empties into the Bay of Bengal at Kodur in Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna River Delta is one of the most fertile areas in the country. The flow of the river fluctuates greatly depending on the rainfall of the monsoon.
Narmada
Once called Nerbuddha, the Narmada River is known as the “lifeline of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat”. The Narmada River is one of India’s greatest rivers that you must visit during your vacation.
This river originates from the Amarkantak River and is considered one of the most sacred and of the Top 10 longest rivers in India. Unlike other rivers that flow eastward, this river flows westward. The
name of this river appears in the Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Puranas. In Hinduism, Narmada is considered one of India’s celestial waterways, along with six other rivers: Ganges, Godavari, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kaveri and Sindhu.
Godavari, Top 10 longest rivers in India
In the list of India’s longest rivers, Godavari is also called South Ganges or Dakshin Ganges as it is the longest river in South India.
- The river originates in Trimbakeshwar in Nashik and branches off via Chhattisgarh towards Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This is considered the second-longest river in India and ends in the Bay of Bengal. The main tributaries of the Godavari are the Purna, Pranhita, Savari and Indravati rivers.
- The Godavari River is a sacred river that flows through central and southeastern India. Respected and revered like the Ganges. The Godavari River is a multi-state river as it flows through many states.
It flows through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The Godavari is her second-largest river after the Ganga and the largest in the Indian peninsula in terms of length, catchment and discharge.
Tapti, Top 10 longest rivers in India
This river originates in the Indian Peninsula and is one of three rivers that flow from east to west. The river originates in the Betul district of the Satpura Mountains and flows into Cumbert Bay.
The Tapti River flows from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat and divides into six tributaries: Purna, Gomai, Panzala, Pedi, Aruna and Girna hence considered one of the Top 10 longest rivers in India.
The Tapi River, also known as Tapti, is a river in central India that rises from the Gavirgarh Hills in the central Deccan Plateau of south-central Madhya Pradesh.
“The river flows westward between the two foothills of the Satpura Mountains and the Jalgaon Plateau region of Maharashtra, then along the Surat Plain of Gujarat and finally empties into Cumbert Bay”.
There is an entrance to the Arabian Sea. The Tapi River runs parallel to the Narmada River in the north and separates it from the central part of the Satpura Mountains. Valleys between mountains and rivers form a natural barrier between the peninsula and northern India.
The Tapi River has three main tributaries, the Girna, Panjila and Purna Rivers, which flow from the south of Maharashtra and are one of the Top 10 longest rivers in India.
Entrust your adventures with the Top 10 Longest Rivers in India; a guide that takes you on a fulfilling journey down some of the world’s most beautiful waterways.
